Anniversary
by pocket dial
Summary: Part II of Ecstasy.
1. 1

**A/N: Continues where the Epilogue ends.**

**Just like Ecstasy it will take place in a span of a few hours but this time a sunset.**

**Italics are flashbacks.**

* * *

Three years ago she lost her mother but also met her future boyfriend, who no one, not even her family knows about. He's her rock and constant support, the pillar that stood tall when she needs someone to lean on. Somehow he always knew when she's vulnerable and he's always there for her when she's at her weakest.

He wipes her tears as she cries quietly, her eyes bloodshot red as she looks at him. "It's okay. I'm right here Catherine." He strokes her cheeks with the calloused pad of his thumbs, wiping away the continuous tears.

She nods her head and buries her face on his chest once more, wiping her tears on his soaked shirt. He wraps her up in his warmth and cuddle her into his body. He holds her tightly as she shakes uncontrollably with her sobs.

He turns and lay on his back, taking her with him. She lays her head on his shoulder and bury her face on the crook of his neck. She places her arm across his chest, holding him close and he hugs her back, wrapping both arms around her waist.

"Will you go with me?" She asks him.

"Of course." He answers.

"Vincent." She whispers, her breath hot on his neck.

"Hhhmmm..." He rubs the small of her back, his warm hand caressing her soft skin.

"How do you always know when I need you?" She lazily draws on his stomach, his abs hardening at her light touch.

"I was there three years ago when Vanessa was killed. I watched you breakdown over her grave a year after her death and I promised myself that you would never go through that again. Last year I followed you to make sure that you were okay and that your asshole boyfriend wouldn't do anything to hurt you but I knew I was too late once I heard your heart beating rapidly. Catherine," he gently strokes her cheek and jaw, stopping below her chin. He raises her head and looks into her eyes. "I need you as much as you need me. That day, three years ago may hold a dark memory but it's also the day I was able to save you. Something your Mother has done for me. She brought me to you and you to me."

Their connection has been strong from the very beginning, something she couldn't deny, especially after finding him at the abandoned warehouse. She returned his jacket, the one she wore for a whole week before finally making up her mind that she would see him again.

_She's nervous while he's unsure of what she remembered of their night together but he is glad that she came and helped heal his wounded heart. He cares for her, a fact he couldn't deny especially after her week absence from his life had caused him to wander the streets of New York aimlessly._

_"Catherine." He speaks nervously._

_"Vincent." She says in a shy tone._

_They both say simultaneously. He laughs nervously as she bites her bottom lip. He place his hand in his jean pockets as she looks around his unique abode._

_"I...uhm...how much do you remember?" He asks, his voice shaky as his rapid heartbeat._

_She pause and looks at him. He's the opposite of what her memories can recall. She saw flashes of Time Square and his bright glowing eyes staring intently at her. His kiss was soft yet sure. His abs were hard underneath her hands._

_Her cheeks turn pink then crimson as she catches him staring at her._

She also has an emotional bond with the "beast", his other self that saved her while Vincent tended to her injuries before moving her back to where her Mother was murdered. He then placed an anonymous call and lead police to the crime scene.

He watched from the rooftop of the bar she worked at as police officers and EMT take the two bodies into ambulances. One was still with a heartbeat while the other had none.

He wiped his tears from his eyes as the woman who cared for him and his unit passed away from her gunshot wounds. He vowed to always protect Vanessa's daughter and to one day avenge her death.

"Vincent." Her voice breaks his thought.

He looks at her, his golden eyes reflecting in hers.

"It's okay." She tells him as she soothes the roughness of his cheeks.

He close his eyes as she feels her warm breath hovering over his scar. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Vincent. You don't have to apologize for who you are." She lowers her lips and kisses him.

He relaxes in her gentle touch and kiss her back. She lets out a moan as he thrust his tongue in her mouth and she knew he was holding the beast close to him. He tangle his fingers in her hair, deepening their kiss and she responds, meeting his hungry tongue with hers.

A purr, a low growl, vibrates through his throat as Vincent's hold of the beast iss slowly loosening. She pulls away as she usually does and his golden iris glow in hers.

"I'll wait Catherine."

She nods her head. "I know you will Vincent."


	2. 2

He moves to his side and puts his arm around her. He always feared that the beast would do something to hurt her and that fear was always the strongest when his eyes are burning gold.

She shifts position and face him. She inch closer to him and steady her heart. He sees his reflection in her eyes, his golden iris staring back at him. She understands his fears but hate that he doubts himself and what he is.

He pulls her close. "I'm okay." His voice still has a hint of lust, husky in the way the beast would talk to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for the beast to come out. You know I would never hurt you or pressure you to have sex."

"I know Vincent." She answers back. "I trust you and him." She lightly stroke his cheek, gently tracing his scar. "Are you sure you're okay with waiting?"

"I love you Catherine. I trust that you'll know when you're ready. The selfish part of me wishes it's with me, you know, but I understand if you want to be with someone else, someone normal." He hugs her tighter, his instincts of not wanting to let her go kicking in.

"Vincent." She lightly kiss his lips. "I'm not waiting because I want someone better. I've already found him and his name is Vincent Ryan Keller. I just hope you feel the same way."

He takes her hand in his and gently kisses her lips. "I'm in love with you Catherine Elizabeth Chandler."

"And I'm in love with you Vincent Ryan Keller." She smile against his lips and gently brush his scar. "I love all of you, after all I did meet the beast first." A small smile forms on her lips as she lightly tease him.

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" He asks playfully, a coy smile running through his lips.

"Just reminding you that it's okay Vincent. Like I said, I trust you both. You don't have to hide anything or anyone from me especially the beast."

_"I don't really remember much, mostly just the sunrise itself..." Her voice trails off as she looks down. She bites her bottom lip, a nervous habit of hers. "I get images here and there but the same ones over and over." Her cheeks starts to burn as she recalls the same images that has plagued her mind for the past week. The glowing lights of Time Square surrounds them, his lips on hers, and their tongues tasting one another. She couldn't forget their kiss, try as she might. She close her eyes and another memory fills her mind. Her fingertips slowly crawling on his abs, hardening at her touch as she saw a quick flash of his golden eyes shimmering._

_He crosses the room and stands in front of her. He watch her intently, closely. He sees every breath pass through her lips, hears every beat of her heart. There's a slight hitch to her breathing as he slowly slips his fingers between hers. He closes them together, holding both of her hands in his._

_She isn't afraid but nervous. It still feels like a dream but he's there in front of her, deep within her heart as he holds her hands securely in his. She had closed herself off after her Mom's death but he somehow managed to find his way inside._

_She also couldn't remember if it went any further, which bothered her a lot. "I, uhm..." She looks up to meet his gaze. "Vincent, did we...you know...have sex?"_

_"Catherine." His voice is smooth, sure as it was the week before. "We didn't have sex. I would never take advantage of you."_

_She lets out a sigh of relief. Thankful that she's still a virgin._

_"I went to the club because I overheard your boyfriend and his friends talking about a bet on who can take your virginity. I didn't want you to do anything you'd regret. I know how difficult this time of the year is for you and I wanted to make sure you were okay."_

_Her heart beats faster as their eyes meet. There's no mistaking that she had seen those eyes before last week. They were the last thing she saw before slipping to unconsciousness during that cold and dark night in the woods._

_"I know you're him Vincent. You're the beast that saved me the night my mom was murdered."_

_He nods his head and squeeze her hands. "I was there." He answers._

_"You where in the woods. I could never forget those eyes. The moment I saw yours glow during sunrise, I knew it was you. You've been watching me since then?" She asks curiously._

_"Over you." He corrects her. "Since Vanessa's murder I've watched over you and protected you."_

_"Vanessa? You knew my mom?"_

"I can't believe it's been three years since she's been gone. Sometimes it feels like yesterday when it all happened." She wipes her tears and looks up at him.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could have saved her too." His features starts to change again, his cheeks and jaws hardening. "You know today is hard for me as well. Vanessa was one of the few that understood how we felt. We weren't just experiments to her but human beings as well."

She looks deep into his glowing amber eyes and knew he was trying to hold back his beast. "I know. It's okay. I don't blame you Vincent."

He nods his head and holds her close to him. He knows how lucky he is to have her in his life, someone who understands and didn't judge him. She has seen the darkest part of him and still remained by his side, loving him when he needed her the most.

She strokes his scarred cheek, gently willing the beast away. "Vincent." She whispers, her voice soft and endearing. She has seen the beast before in many occasions, sometimes even in his sleep but somehow it always knew not to harm her but instead held her tighter, close to him, them, never wanting to let her go.

"Don't hold back. If you need to, release him. I'll be here."

* * *

**A/N: This is my last fic.**


	3. 3

_She holds her breath as his lips hover over hers._

_"Catherine." He whispers, his warm breath kissing her lips._

_She open her eyes and meets his gaze. "Yes." She squeeze his hands, her fingernails scratching his skin._

_"You're not afraid of me, of what I am." His tone is questioning but he wasn't asking her._

_She shakes her head and their lips softly brush against each other. "You saved my life Vincent. I can never be afraid of what you are."_

_"In that case then..." He lets go of her hands and wrap his arms around her waist. "I was there that night because of Vanessa. Yes I knew her and yes she knew what I was."_

_"I don't understand." She tells him._

_"Your Mother was a very complex woman Catherine. What happened out there, to me, my unit, it's not all black and white or right and wrong."_

_"I don't get it."_

_"Someday you will." He answers._

He backs away and gets off the bed. She follows his lead and cautiously gets up. She stands in front of him as the blue lines of his veins protrude from his skin. From the tips of his fingers up to his neck, the veins slowly alters his body, changing the appearance of his face. He stares at her, his golden iris flashing, searching, longing.

She returns his gaze, their eyes burning through each other's soul, the two finding love in the darkest of places.

"It's okay, I'm right here." She raises her hand to his cheek and lightly press her palm to his long and irregular scar, a wound he suffered while at war.

He nods his head and wraps his arms around her waist. His claw slowly drags on the fabric of her shirt.

"Don't fight him Vincent. Just let him be. I trust him as much as I trust you."

He nods again. He opens his mouth to speak but no words are able to come out. His fangs protrude longer than his normal teeth, sharp as knives to cut through flesh.

_Her heart beats faster than usual. "Will you tell me about her? What was she like? Did she do this you?"_

_"In time Catherine. I believe you owe me a date. You promised to watch the sunset with me." He pulls her closer, the rising beat of her heart pounds against his chest. "Your Mother was a great woman. Don't blame her."_

_"If she did this to you, made you to what you are..."_

_"She, they didn't force anyone to be a part of this. Believe it or not we volunteered for this. Catherine, there is one other thing. No one can know about me. Not your family or friends. As far as anyone knows I am dead. Do you understand?"_

His golden eyes pierce through hers, longingly looking at her. The beast found his one, his mate and partner. He barely speaks, only feels and sense things that's close to him in proximity, mostly Catherine who loves the man and the beast.

She's calm as he holds her in his arms, her heart steady and sure of her feelings for the creature that saved her life three years ago. She strokes his cheek, which is cold to the touch. He close his eyes tightly and pulls her body close until their bodies are flush, breathes mingling, heart beating as one.

Her warmth radiates through him, the heat from her body making his senses run in overdrive. He picks her up, easily carrying her in his arms. She wraps her legs around his waist, stilling him, rooting him firmly in her heart.

"I love you." She places her forehead on his and gently brushes his cheek with her fingertips. She leans down and lightly presses her lips to his. "I want you to stop your experiments with J.T."

He shakes his head, his eyes glowing as he stares back at her.

"Listen to me. I need you in my life." She explains to him.

He holds her securely and kisses her lips. "Catherine, I love you." His voice is rough and husky, it's deep and sad.

He gently lays her down on the bed, their bodies never separating from one another. She drops her legs and bends her knees on an angle as he pins her underneath him. He pauses, placing his forehead on hers. He sees his reflection in her eyes, the golden orbs glowing in hers.

"Let's watch the sunset tonight. After we visit Mom I want to go to the skate rink."

He nods his head. He always gave in to what she wanted. He was hers and she was his.

"What do you want to do?" She asks him.

He leans down and kiss her lips. "Make love to you."


	4. 4

His beast hold her close, never wanting to let her go as they they lie on her bed, facing each other. She's the best thing to ever happen to Beast. She's his first kiss, his first and only love. Catherine Elizabeth Chandler is his, she belongs to him. He never wants to lose her.

His eyes sting with tears, the golden iris glowing in hers. He feels the pain of losing Vanessa as well. The murder constantly haunted him, the beast always fighting the nightmare as he held Catherine while they slept. He wept quietly as he woke, afraid of waking her up and having her see him instead of Vincent.

She strokes his hardened cheek, gently caressing his scar. She wipes his tears, lightly brushing his face with her fingertips. "I love you." She tells him, whispering it softly on his lips.

He nods his head and holds her tighter. He's hers, always will be. She leans in and kiss him, pressing her body to his until she feels his warmth against her. He stretches his right leg over hers and pulls her closer, until their limbs are tangled with each other

She opens her mouth as she feels the wetness of his tongue brushing her lips. He buries his hand in her long hair, deepening their kiss. Their tongues touch, gently colliding as their hearts, beating as one.

She moans in his kiss and his touch. His hand caresses her body, roaming her curves. He breathes her scent, her desire growing for him. He growls into the kiss, his body trembling with anticipation. He kiss her harder, passionately, his fangs lightly nipping her lips.

She rake her nails on his arms, scratching him as he lowers his lips, kissing her neck, sensing her want for him. He makes a purring sound against her neck, his lips lightly gliding over her skin. Her heart beats faster as his warm tongue taste her and the tip of his fangs graze her quickening pulse. "Catherine..." His deep voice vibrates down her spine, causing her to shiver.

He looks into her eyes, his darkening with every second as lust starts to rush through his veins. She holds on to him as he rolls them over, pinning her underneath him.

"Wait...I do...I want to but I..." She says breathlessly.

"No?" He asks, his voice husky.

She shakes her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry."

He places his forehead on hers and close his eyes. He couldn't believe he let his hormones get the best of him.

He open his eyes and his brown iris reflect in hers. "I'm sorry Catherine, I didn't mean to. I just..."

"We both got carried away. Uhm, I should get ready." She whispers.

"Okay." He moves aside and lets her go. "I'm going out for a walk. Call me when you're done."

_She nods her head and stare into his eyes. "I get it Vincent. No one can know."_

_Specks of gold starts to show as he remembers what was done to him and his unit. They were nothing but experiments to the government but to one woman, who cared for them, treated them like human beings, they were people with family who anxiously awaited for their return. Just like Vanessa, they had family and a life back at home._

_He closes his fist and clench his jaw. He tightens the hold on the beast, afraid of scaring her off. He hesitantly stares back at her, she's so beautiful. She's too good for him, he'd only hurt her. He looks away from her and looks down._

_She place her hands over his hardened fists, covering his white knuckles with her warm palms. "I'm not going anywhere Vincent. I'm sorry this happened to you." She lets go of his hands and carefully places her hand on his cheeks, cupping his face. "Look at me."_

_He turns to her, his eyes glowing like the sunrise they watched a week ago. His reign on the beast was slipping. He wanted to hold her, feel her warmth. He saved her. He wanted to know her the way his other half did, the way Vincent does._

_She watches the man turn to the beast that saved her two years ago. The look in her eyes surprises him. She didn't turn away like others have. He gaze into her green eyes. She's beautiful. He fights of the urge to touch her._

_She approaches him cautiously. He brings his hands up as if to cup her face but stops as he see his claws. He looks at her then back at his hands. He didn't want to hurt her. She walks closer to him. He can hear her heartbeat racing._

_He keeps his eyes open as she place his hands on her face. He gently caress her cheeks. Her skin is soft and smooth against his fingertips._

_"You're beautiful." He tells her. His voice is rough as his face but gentle like his soul. It was a tragedy what was done to him but he no longer had regrets._

_She smiles at him, her eyes sparkling. He lets her go and the beast slowly starts to disappear. Vincent stands in front of her, his eyes filled with tears._

_"Are you okay?" She asks._

_"Thank you." He answers. "You're just like your mother. She had a very kind heart Catherine. That's the most important thing. Don't ever forget that."_


	5. 5

Vincent leans on the metal railing of the fire escape and looks down the street. He sigh in frustration for not being able to control his hormones. Her heartbeat told him she wasn't ready but the beast and mostly him wanted to have sex. He wanted to make love to her so badly that he forgot about her feelings and what she wanted.

He walk through alleys and think about how much he fucked things up. He never meant to push her and to make things worse it was while he was the beast. He rarely had control when he was in that state and the way she reacted to him only made him want her more.

She should have known better but it wasn't her fault. All she wanted was for him to know that she accepts him for all that he is but instead he let his hormones think for him, pushing her further than usual.

It might have been there one year anniversary but it was also Vanessa's three year death anniversary. He should have been there for her the way she needed him but instead he blew it by thinking with his dick.

_He takes her hand and entwine their fingers. He smiles as he hears her nervous heartbeat. "I really like you Catherine."_

_She nods her head and squeezes his hand._

_"What do you remember about last week?"_

_Her cheeks turn pink and she looks down. "There's this moment in Time Square when you and I..." She looks up and meet his gaze._

_He leans down and brush the hair out of her face. "We were there and the skate rink in Central Park as well. We also watched the sunrise on your rooftop which was my favorite part." He smiles as he remembers their time together. "You owe me a date. If you're not doing anything later we can watch the sunset."_

_She nods her head and her lips lightly brush his. "I have no plans."_

_"It's a date." He leans closer and kiss her lips._

_She squeeze his hand as she feels the wetness of his tongue begging for entrance. She opens her mouth and meet his tongue with hers. She moans into the kiss and he reacts automatically. He lowers his hand and wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close._

_She slowly pulls away from him. "Vincent, I, uhm, you know I'm a virgin right?"_

_"I know. __ I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I don't want you to think that it's all I want." He lowers his hand to hers and slip his fingers between hers. "__That's why I was at the club last week. I've watched over you for a couple of years now, making sure you're okay and that's when I heard your boyfriend talking about you with his friends. They had a bet on who could take your virginity. He told his friends that you were fair game. I don't get it Catherine. Why do you pick guys like him?"_

_She lets go of his hands. "They're not willing to put much effort into a relationship and that's what I like about it. They can't hurt you."_

Catherine steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around her naked body. She wipes the fog off the mirror and stares at her reflection, contemplating why she still couldn't get past the next step of their physical relationship. She sigh and walks out of the bathroom.

Since her Mom's murder she lost the one person she can go to for advice especially about guys. She didn't trust herself to make the big decision. It wasn't just a physical connection she'll always share with someone but an emotional one as well.

She holds on to the towel as she sees him sitting on the foot of her bed with his head down. "Vincent." She says in a low tone.

He looks up at her. His eyes glow as he skim her from head to toe. He clench his fist and looks away. "You're window was unlocked. I came back to apologize about earlier. I never meant to. I said I would wait until you're ready and I fucked it up by pushing you too far."

He hears her soft footsteps and her fast beating heart as she approaches him. He smells her scent mixed with her soap and shampoo. His eyes glow and underneath his skin the blue veins protrude, the adrenaline rushing through his body. His face changes, altering his appearance. His fangs grow, the tips sharp as knives. He open his hands as his nails grow to claws.

He turns to her and his yellow eyes burn with sorrow and lust. "I'm sorry Catherine." His deep voice sends a chill down her spine. Vincent has always been patient with her while the beast is afraid of hurting her. "Please forgive me."


	6. 6

**A/N: Thank you frbbjbaby4545. Take a look at the review if you haven't read it yet.**

* * *

_He stares at her, she's more fragile than he realized. "I'm sorry. I should have done more."_

_"You're not the reason she's dead and apparently I never really knew her at all." She turns away from him and walks around the small and dark warehouse._

_It killed him to see Vanessa's lifeless body lying on the ground with blood covering her. His animal instinct took over and he followed Vanessa's daughter in the woods as the men who killed Vanessa ran after her. He had no regrets killing them but it tortured him to know that the only person who saw him as the beast was another victim of Muirfield._

_He follows her closely but keeps his distance from her. The loss of Vanessa was hard on him as well, it was like losing a family member, one he loved dearly. He mourned her death and grieved by visiting her grave when he needed someone to talk to, someone who understood him and knew his other half._

_Her eyes fill with tears as she thinks about her mom. The loss of her mother was more than she could handle and witnessing her murder made it worse. No one was able to understand her pain and the emotions of what she went through when she almost lost her life. If it wasn't for the beast she would be dead and if it wasn't for Vincent she'd be another college girl who lost her virginity while completely intoxicated._

_There are so many unanswered questions and her mother was no longer alive to answer them. She wipe the tears from her cheeks and turns to him. More tears flow down her cheeks as she sees the man struggling with his beast._

_He started to change without realizing it. His golden eyes stare back at her and he raise his clawed hands up to her cheeks, softly wiping away her tears._

_She place her hands over his and the warmth of her touch causes him to fully transform. His cheeks harden and his fangs grow out. He steps closer to her and minimizes the space between their bodies. There was no denying his feelings for her, the girl he saved a couple of years ago. He watched over her and listened as she cried herself to sleep. He struggled to keep his distance but more than anything he wanted to hold her._

_He lower his clawed fingers, following the curves of her body and wraps his arm around her waist. She lays her head on his shoulder and hugs him back. His hold on her tighten as he feels the warmth of her breath on his neck causing his veins to turn blue and his eyes to glow and burn._

_"Catherine..." His coarse voice echoes in the dark warehouse._

_She looks up at him and his bright eyes look deep into her. His veins throb with the pulsing need to be with her and to make her his mate. He leans down and kiss her lips._

Her heartbeat quicken as she stares back at him. He quickly stands from the bed and walks to her. His swiftness startle her and she knew he was keeping something from her.

He wraps his arm around her waist and holds on to her, afraid that he was going to lose her for fucking it all up again like he always did. "Don't go." His deep voice begs her. "I love you Catherine. I didn't mean to..." His golden eyes search hers.

She struggles against his hold. She's never seen him move so fast before and she knew it had to do with the experiments that him and J.T. kept her away from. "Let me go." She tells him.

"I can't. Please say you forgive me."

"Stop the experiments."

He shakes his head. Without them he would always be a monster, one who kept fucking things up with her as his animal DNA continues to slowly take over. "I want to be normal again."

"You can barely control it already. We don't even see each other often and now this. What else are you keeping from me?"

He shakes his head again. So many times their experimentation on him failed and he retrieved back to his self loathing ways and avoided her for days sometimes even weeks. He wanted to be normal again that he was willing to risk his life. On the brink of being a complete monster he attacked his best friend after another failed experiment. He was stabbed by J.T. above his left hip, a wound he's hidden ever since.

"I have to go." He tells her. "I love you Catherine." He loosen his hold on her and stands still in front of her.

"What did you do?" Her voice cracks as she wipe her tears.

He takes her hand and places it under his shirt. She lifts the material and cries as she sees the new scar.

"I attacked J.T." His coarse voice cracks and his golden eyes search hers for forgiveness.

She holds on to the towel around her body and holds it up. "I have to get changed."

He nods his head. "I'm sorry."

"Stay here until you...you change back."

"Okay." He answers.

"I'm visiting Mom alone." She tells him before walking away.


	7. 7

His sadness and anger gets the best of him as his body refuse to change back to his human form. The adrenaline continues to flow through his veins as he overhears her crying in the bathroom.

She was right about him barely having control and because of the experiments they didn't see each other often. Him and J.T. didn't want to risk her safety especially when an experiment failed and it failed every time.

He only wanted to be normal, to have his old life back before he was turned into a monster, a beast. He had lost so much life, living in misery until that one faithful night when all their worries were forgotten. For a short moment he lived in her world of ecstasy, the happiness surrounding the both of them. He wanted to be happy again and be with Catherine without having to constantly look over his shoulder.

_He gently place his forehead on hers and look into her eyes. His reflection shines brightly as his golden eyes stare back at him. "Catherine..." His thick, coarse voice makes her shiver._

_She exhales loudly and her warm breath kiss his lips. He holds on to her as she lightly press a kiss on his lips. He lowers his head and kisses her again, claiming her as his. She place both hands on his chest and feels his heartbeat jump as she kisses him back. His golden eyes flash, the embers burning as she accepts him._

_He smiles against her lips and hugs her. "I like you."_

_"I like you too."_

_He holds her tighter, the beast not wanting to let go. She watches as he slowly changes. The man wrestling his demon collapses in her arms._

_"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...sometimes it's hard to control." He tells her._

_"It's okay. Do you still want to watch the sunset together?"_

_He nods his head and smiles. "I'd love to." He place his arms around her, hugging her to him._

_"Will you tell me more about my mom?"_

_"I cared about her Catherine. She made us feel human and not just some science experiments. I promise to tell you about her as long as you're willing to keep an open mind." He answers._

_"What do you mean?" She ask nervously._

_"You've seen what happens to me when things get, well, how do I say this? I can't really control my emotions and when that happens I change into that thing. I'm the last one Catherine. They murdered everyone including Vanessa."_

_Her eyes get watery and she close her eyes letting the tears slide down her cheeks. "Was she, you know, like you too?"_

_He gently place his hands on her cheeks and softly wipe the tears away. "No. She wasn't like me. She was part of the organization that experimented on the soldiers. And she helped me escape."_

He lowers his head and stare down as he hears her footsteps coming closer. He never meant to hurt her. All he wanted was to be normal again and be with her without all the secrets and lies. "I'm sorry." He tells her as she enters her room.

She wipe her tears and walks to where he's sitting, on the edge of her bed. She sits next to him and lays her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to lose you Vincent." She places her hand in his and he close his claws around her fingers. "I want the both of you to stop these experiments. You're only hurting each other and you're losing more control."

He stubbornly shakes his head. "You don't understand what it's like to be a monster."

"You're not a monster. I'm in love with you." She raises her head off his shoulder and looks at him. "Since Mom died it's been hard letting people in and I want to but sometimes you make it difficult. You stay away for days or weeks and you don't talk to me about any of it. Then today...you tell me you attacked J.T. and he had no choice but to stab you...I can't lose you too."

"I love you Catherine." He turns his head and looks at her. "And I don't want to lose you." His reflection changes, his vulnerability showing in her green eyes as the beast disappears.

"Vincent, promise me you'll stop with the experiments." She stares in to his deep brown eyes, longing for something she hadn't in a while, the confident man she fell for. "You're attacking your best friend and who knows what else can happen?"

"If I don't stop?"

"I think you know the answer to that question." She lets go of his hand and looks away. "I'm going to see Mom." She stands up and walks away from him. She pauses by the door and wipe her tears. "Close the window when you leave."


	8. 8

Catherine wipe her tears before exiting her car. She couldn't understand why it was so hard for Vincent to accept what he is. So many times she tried showing him how much she loves him and his other half. The last thing she expected was for their relationship to end especially on the anniversary of when they officially met.

Without Vincent in her life she wouldn't know the person her mother truly was. There were so many things that her mom kept hidden from their family. Some things, Catherine still couldn't understand but at the end of the day Vanessa was still her mom and that was something she could never forget. He made Catherine see how important family was and that without her mother he would still be with Muirfield or worse, dead.

She grabs the flowers from the passenger seat and wished that Vincent was with her, just as he promised almost a year ago. The cold air wraps around her body as she steps out of the car, causing her to shiver. The gloomy winter weather matched her emotions, dark and sad. She latches on to the bouquet of flowers as she walks quietly to her mother's grave.

He watches from afar, cursing himself that he broke his promise to her. He was willing to risk it all to be human again. He desperately wanted to be normal that he couldn't see exactly what he was risking to gain the only thing he truly wanted, Catherine Chandler.

For so long he searched for purpose and to find meaning in a hidden life that he was forced into. He's a man whose soul is broken by a beast he could not control. Yet it fated him to someone who he saved and saved him as well. Without Catherine, his life would be empty and meaningless. She made him feel again, made him want to live and be the man she saw in him.

It was unfair what they have done to him and she hated that he still saw himself as a monster when in fact he was the opposite. Him and the beast, as he called it, saved her life in more than one occasion. If it wasn't for him, who knew what would have happened to her a year ago in that club with Jaxon and his friends. He saved her then and she hoped that she could do the same for him.

Vincent was more than just her boyfriend but also one of the best things in her life. For so long she constantly held back but deep in her heart she knew that there was no one else that could ever come close.

She gently place the flowers on the grave stone and steps back. Her tears flow as the rain starts to pour. She pulls on her jacket and zips close.

"Hi Mom. I love you. I wish you were still here." She wipes her tears and pauses. "Please watch over Vincent and make sure he's safe. I don't know what else to do. What he's asking for...I'm not sure if I'm ready yet...I just...I need you here Mom. I need you to tell me what to do. I love him and I'm afraid that sooner or later I'm going to lose him..."

_She leans against him and he holds her tightly in his arms as they silently watch the sun disappear in the horizon. She settles in his arms and leans closer to him. She exhales loudly as she feels the pounding of his heart against her back._

_The grey and gloomy clouds turn orange and start to bleed red as the sun slowly sink down the edge of an endless ocean far beyond the skyscrapers. The colors mix and blend with the eclipse of dusk. The light slowly starts to vanish as the flames and colors of the setting sun engulfs the daytime, taking with it the false hope of the warm weather._

_Building after building turns to a torch of faux lights as the nearing darkness unravel secrets. People clamor out as they leave their desks for their desired destination after a hard day's work, filling the street and waking the night with their greetings. City life begins again in the coming twilight as people's chatter rise to the rooftop. He blocks them out from his ears and listen to the rhythm of her heartbeat. _

_"Vanessa saved my life. That's the most important thing. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here." He whispers softly as if each word would break her fragile heart._

_"And if it wasn't for you I would be dead." She replies back. The tears in her eyes flow down her cheeks and she silently wipes them away._

_"I know you're hurting Catherine but if you let me, I want to be here for you."_

_She nods her head and search for his hands. He wraps her cold fingers in his, encasing every part of her with his warmth._

_"Let me in. You don't have to do this alone. I'll always be here. I promise." He whispers gently._

_She close her eyes and the tears cascade down her cheeks. "I don't know how to." She replies._

_He holds her closer and shields her from the cold. "We can do this together."_

_Her body shivers as she feels the heat of his breath on her neck and the warmth of his words deep inside her heart._

_"Catherine." He whispers in her ear._

_"Hhhmmm..."_

_"I want more than just tonight with you."_


	9. 9

A rainbow of colors bring the clouds to life as the sun starts to disappear behind skyscrapers. The sun sets west and Catherine heads toward the colorful sky. An array of colors wash over New York city as dusk begin to settle.

She grabs one railing after the other as she goes up the metal ladder leading up to the roof top. So many nights she found her boyfriend there and tonight was no different.

Vincent sits silently on the ledge of the roof as he watches her climb up the fire escape. He hated that he hurt her on a day when she needed him the most, on the day her mom was murdered three years ago. She'd been right about losing him if he continued on his path of trying to rid the beast. He could no longer control his reaction to the serum that his best concocted. In fact he almost killed J.T., who stabbed him to save both of their lives.

She walks toward him as he keeps his head down. "J.T. called me. He said he came home to you destroying his lab."

He nods his head. "I didn't know what else to do." He turns to look at her then back down at the city. He wished he could be down there with the rest of the world. He wanted to be able to take his girlfriend out on dates and make love to her without the fear of hurting her.

She stops next to him and leans over the ledge to stare down at the city. Silently, they watch the busy night life of New York. They shared so much on the rooftop throughout their year together, spending a lot of nights on the rooftop since her roommate was next door and no one knew about her boyfriend that is supposedly dead.

"I was at the cemetery."

She turns to face him. "How?"

He looks far in the distance while she stares at his profile. The man she fell in love was slowly slipping away.

"I think you know the answer to that. What you saw in the room is just part of it." He finally turns to her. His golden eyes burn through her sad green ones. "I heard what you told Vanessa."

"Vincent." She places her hand over his. "I hope you know how much I truly love you. After everything we've been through, all the things you and I have over come, none of that matters if you're not here."

"I never meant to hurt you Catherine. I was doing it for us."

"Us or you?"

"I thought if I was normal you'd finally be able to accept me and let me in. I want to be able to make love to my girlfriend and not have her be afraid of me."

She squeezes his hand. "You know I love you and accept you for all that you are."

He pushes off the ledge, jumping high into the air and lands next to her. She looks at him in complete shock and with a wide eye stare.

"Vincent...when...how?!"

He shakes his head. "Can you still accept me Catherine? Can you still love me after what you've heard and seen today?"

_She slowly turn in his arms to face him. The reflection of the moon is bright in his eyes. _

_"I know what a risk this is for you Catherine. Please think about it before making up your mind about us. You came to the warehouse for a reason, right?"_

_He takes her hand and place it above his rapid beating heart. "Please give me a chance Catherine. Let me in and I promise to always be there for you."_

She leans back against the ledge as he hovers closely. His taller frame shadows her as she looks up at him

"Almost a year ago, we stood here and promised to be there for each other but since then all we've done is push each other away. Vincent, I love you and that's not going to change because you are evolving to something more...I don't know the exact words J.T. used..."

"He told you?" His eyes flash brightly, burning with anger.

She slips her hand in his and he closes them together as he twine their fingers together.

"He's worried about you. We both are. I need you Vincent as much as you need me."

"If you love me then why can't you let me in? Why do you push me away? Every time we're close to making love you always want to stop and I can't help but think it's because of what I am and what I can become."

She close her eyes and let the tears roll down her cheeks. "No, Vincent. It's not because of that. I've never love someone like I love you and it scares me. Mom is not here anymore and it's because of what she did to you. They murdered her, Vincent. What if they find you?"

"Come here."

She lean towards him and he hugs her tightly in his arms. She wrap her arms around him and cries silently on his chest. "I don't know what I'll do if I lose you. Vincent, I love you so much and the thought of losing you..."

He hugs her closer and tighter until he feels her heartbeat pounding against him. "You should have told me sooner. I'll always be here for you. I promise."

"Vincent, you can't promise something like that...what if..."

"Let's not worry about it. I'm here now. That's all that matters. I love you Catherine." He whispers softly.

As the night sky falls her heart trembles. "I want you to stay tonight Vincent."


	10. 10

**A/N: Last chapter.**

* * *

Her eyes automatically drift to his as she stares up. The stars reflect in his eyes, shining brightly. She shivers in his arms and underneath the cold night sky. Goosebumps form along her arms and neck.

Her heart beats nervously and loudly in his ears as she battles what her heart feels and what her mind thinks. For so long all she wanted was someone to understand her and in front of her is the man she always needed.

"Catherine, if you're not ready, I understand. You don't have to do this for me. When the time is right you'll know."

"Sometimes I forget that you can hear everything."

"A blessing and a curse." He answers.

"You saved my life. That's more than a blessing." She lightly trace his scar. Her mind slowly goes back to the time they first met. Three years ago one of the most important person in her life was taken murdered in front of her and in the same night she met the one person who can truly heal her broken heart. "I'm in love with you Vincent. I know someday it's you that I want to be with, that I want to share my first time with. I want that special moment to be with you." Her hands start to shake nervously and he takes it in his. "It may not be tonight but I still want you to stay. It's been so long since you and I have really spent this much time together, well sort of."

The stars twinkle in his eyes. He leans closer as he hugs her. So many lonely nights passed as he made the mistake of staying away because of another failed experiment that pushed him to the edge and made him lose control more than usual. "I'm sorry Catherine. I should have known better but I just thought, that maybe if I was less beast we'd finally get to do more normal things and actually go out on dates."

"Normal is overrated." She replies. "I like our date night's at your place. As long as it's with you that's all matters." She stands on her tiptoe and kiss his lips, assuring him. "I love you Vincent. Please stay tonight."

"I'll stay but if I, you know, change, please be patient. I just, there are times I can't control it and I don't want to hurt you or make you think that I'm pressuring you. I'll wait, I promise."

She nods her head. "Where do we go from here?"

"We'll take it a day at a time. Neither one of us is perfect and we still have a few things to work on but I promise to try harder if you do the same."

"I promise. I never meant to push you away but sometimes it was easier to. I want to let you in, I do but I don't know how to this Vincent. You're the first person since Mom died that...that actually cares. My past boyfriends, they only wanted one thing." Ever since the unfaithful night when her mom was murdered Catherine closed herself off to the world, shielding her broken heart from anymore pain. She picked and dated guys that were emotionally challenged.

"Catherine, they're idiots. I'm lucky to have you. I know I fucked up before and I'm sorry. I just wanted to be with you so badly that I wasn't thinking clearly. I thought...I was scared that maybe it was the beast part of me that you were afraid of."

She places her hand on his cheek and gently brush his scar. "Vincent, I've always shown you that I accept that part of you. I love everything you are, beast and all."

"Like I said I wasn't thinking clearly. I thought if I finally fixed myself and got rid of the beast that you'll finally want to be with me but I know now that I was being stupid and insecure. If anything, I'll talk to you first."

"So you'll stop the experiments?" She asks.

"No more experiments. I'll talk to J.T. and apologize to him as well. I was so angry at myself after hearing you talk to Vanessa earlier. I came home to try to calm down but when I saw the lab...the thought of losing you...I just..." His eyes glow as he thought about all the mistakes he'd done. His veins start to appear and the rush of adrenaline turns them blue as it travels from his core to his limbs.

"It's okay Vincent. Look at me." He shift his eyes to hers. "We both forgive you." She stroke his cheeks, softly caressing it with her fingers as he slowly starts to calm and relax. "J.T. was pretty upset that you destroyed his lab but I explained to him what happened earlier. He understands. I told him that I'll help pay for the damages."

"No, Catherine. It was my fault."

"Vincent, you don't have a job and it was partly my fault too. If we had just talked sooner and had been honest with each other..."

He cuts her of. "We'll get through this together." He pulls her close as he hugs her to him. "I love you Catherine."

She lays her head on his chest and listen to his heart. "I love you Vincent."

* * *

**A/N: The end.**

**Yes, there will be an epilogue.**


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Weeks later.**

**Adult theme.**

* * *

Out of breath and with eyes glowing brightly, he impatiently knocks on the locked window. She jumps at the sound and turns around on her bed. She rubs her eye before getting up.

"Vincent?" She whispers his name as she makes her way towards the window.

He nods in response and shakes the rain out of his hair. She opens the window with a confused look on her face. He immediately embraces her after climbing in. She place her arms around him, hugging him back.

"What's wrong? J.T. said you left a message."

She pulls away from him. "Did you wait for him to tell you what my message was?"

He shakes his head. "I ran out as quickly as I could. You never call this late."

"I called an hour ago." She looks up at him.

He sheepishly looks down. "I went out for a walk...I just." He looks back up at her. "I missed you. I get that your busy with school and work but I don't really have much to do around the warehouse. So when I came home and J.T. said you left a message...I just over reacted."

"Does it make me a bad person to I say I'm glad you did?"

A small smile forms in his lips. "Not at all."

She stands on her tiptoes and lean on him for balance. He wraps his arm around her and leans down. Their lips touch and she softly press hers on his for light kiss.

"I love Vincent and I miss you, that was my message. We haven't seen each other in a few days and I just wanted you to know. Since you're here, do you want to stay?"

He nods his head and his lips softly brush hers. "I love you Catherine..." He exhales and pulls her closer to him.

She loops her arms behind his neck and he bends down to kiss her lips. She pushes herself up on her tiptoes and press her body to his. He moans as their bodies touch, after all it had been a few days since they last saw each other.

He licks her lips, begging her for entrance. She opens her mouth and meet his hungry tongue, deepening their kiss. He buries his hand in her hair and gently tug it down as he leans forward to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. She moans at the sweet taste of his kiss as he softly let his tongue collide with hers.

A rush of adrenaline surge through his veins, waking his desire to make love to her. His eyes turn yellow, glowing with a burning a passion. She looks into his eyes, a glance, a form of acceptance. She nods her head in answer to to his unspoken question.

He holds her tightly to him as her heart starts to race, pounding loudly against his chest. He slowly raise his hands and gently brush the softness of her cheeks. "Are you sure?"

She nods her head. "I've been so scared to lose you that I forget you're still here, patiently waiting and loving me even after everything I put you through."

"I'm the lucky one." He replies. He sigh and looks down. "Listen, I want to make love to you but you heard J.T. about my DNA. I didn't bring anything with me. I don't have any condoms. I didn't know..."

"It's okay." She bites the inside of her cheek. "I, uhm, I've been thinking this over for a while now. You said to be sure and well, since we haven't seen each other I needed someone to talk to about it. I asked Meg for advice. Don't worry I didn't tell her your name or anything. And she pretty much suspected something for a while now. After our talk she bought me a gift the next day."

"Condoms?" He asks.

She bites her bottom lip and nods her head. Her cheeks turn pink under his glowing eyes. "I'm ready. I know it's bad timing with school and all but it made me realize how much I love you and how much I miss you when we're not together."

"I am so in love with you..." He replies.

Her hands tremble as she pushes his wet jacket off his body. He shrugs it off, causing it to fall on the floor. The moonlight hits his naked back as she lifts his shirt and he tosses it carelessly. Her shaky fingers lightly skim his torso and his breathing becomes more ragged as his eyes glow brighter.

"Catherine..."

She looks up to meet his eyes. "I trust you Vincent." She places her hand over his heart and press her lips to his chest.

The glow of his eyes dim but stays amber. He lightly kiss her lips and unbutton the top of her pajamas. He pushes the fabric away revealing her naked torso. His chest heave and his heart beats faster.

"You're beautiful." His deep and husky voice causes her to shiver. He leans down and kiss her lips. He takes her hand and guides them to the button of his jeans. "Only if you still want."

"I'm sure." She answers. She nervously undo his pants, her hands trembling.

"I got it." He kicks off his boots and removes the rest of his clothing.

She blushes as she sees him fully naked for the first time. Though they've fooled around and were close to making love she always pulled away before going too far.

He gently tugs on the bottom of her pajamas and it slides off with the pull of his hands. She steps out of her clothing and nervously stand in front of him naked. She blushes as he slowly looks up and down, taking every inch of her naked body with his beast eyes.

"The condoms are in the top drawer."

He nods his head and guides her back to the bed. He lays her down gently and kiss her lips before pulling away. She follows him with her eyes as he gets up. He nervously rips the package and unrolls the condom.

He kneels between her legs and carefully lies on top of her while supporting his weight on his arms. "I love you Catherine."

"I love you too, Vincent."

He slowly guides himself in, careful not to hurt her. He kisses her lips and slowly thrust in and out of her.

"Are you okay?"

She nods her head and bites her lip. The glow of his eyes reflect in hers as he starts to pick up the pace. She wraps her arms under his and digs her palm on his back. He pulls her hips toward his and deepen himself within her.

The pulse of his veins grows rapidly and the short leash on the beast starts to come loose. His fangs graze the skin of her neck as he thrust deeper into her. A low growl vibrates through his body as he starts to feel her come undone.

She rakes his shoulder down to his back as he starts to move faster. He raises her leg and lets his hand glide down her smooth thigh. He gently rocks his hips back and forth, guiding her to ecstasy and bliss. She tighten her legs around him as he thrust faster, finding his own euphoria.

**The end.**


End file.
